Mantener Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb mantener means to maintain, to keep, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Mantener means to maintain or to keep, and it covers keeping a promise, maintaining a house, keeping calm and keeping in touch. It follows the pattern of tener, with the present mantengo, the preterite mantuve and the future mantendré, and it is one of the most frequent verbs in Spanish. Like every Spanish verb, mantener changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say mantengo la calma en la reunión, and in the preterite you say mantuve el contacto con sus amigos. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: mantener
  • English: to maintain, to keep
  • Verb type: irregular verb, stem-changing (e → ie)
  • Ending: -er
  • Gerund: manteniendo
  • Past participle: mantenido
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + mantenido)
  • Stem change: e → ie in the present, present subjunctive and imperative; nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for mantener, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Mantener follows tener: the present is mantengo, the preterite is mantuve, and the future is mantendré.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for mantener. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.

Present indicative

Person Form
yo mantengo
tú mantienes
él/ella/Ud. mantiene
nosotros/as mantenemos
vosotros/as mantenéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantienen

Preterite

Person Form
yo mantuve
tú mantuviste
él/ella/Ud. mantuvo
nosotros/as mantuvimos
vosotros/as mantuvisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantuvieron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo mantenía
tú mantenías
él/ella/Ud. mantenía
nosotros/as manteníamos
vosotros/as manteníais
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantenían

Future

Person Form
yo mantendré
tú mantendrás
él/ella/Ud. mantendrá
nosotros/as mantendremos
vosotros/as mantendréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantendrán

Conditional

Person Form
yo mantendría
tú mantendrías
él/ella/Ud. mantendría
nosotros/as mantendríamos
vosotros/as mantendríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantendrían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he mantenido
tú has mantenido
él/ella/Ud. ha mantenido
nosotros/as hemos mantenido
vosotros/as habéis mantenido
ellos/ellas/Uds. han mantenido

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había mantenido
tú habías mantenido
él/ella/Ud. había mantenido
nosotros/as habíamos mantenido
vosotros/as habíais mantenido
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían mantenido

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré mantenido
tú habrás mantenido
él/ella/Ud. habrá mantenido
nosotros/as habremos mantenido
vosotros/as habréis mantenido
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán mantenido

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría mantenido
tú habrías mantenido
él/ella/Ud. habría mantenido
nosotros/as habríamos mantenido
vosotros/as habríais mantenido
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían mantenido

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo mantenga
tú mantengas
él/ella/Ud. mantenga
nosotros/as mantengamos
vosotros/as mantengáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantengan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo mantuviera
tú mantuvieras
él/ella/Ud. mantuviera
nosotros/as mantuviéramos
vosotros/as mantuvierais
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantuvieran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú mantén
él/ella/Ud. mantenga
nosotros/as mantengamos
vosotros/as mantened
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantengan

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú mantengas
él/ella/Ud. mantenga
nosotros/as mantengamos
vosotros/as mantengáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. mantengan

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund manteniendo with estar for the progressive: estoy manteniendo
Past participle mantenido with haber for the perfect tenses: he mantenido

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Mantengo la calma en la reunión. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Preterite

Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, mantuve la casa en buen estado. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect

Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For mantener, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, mantenía el contacto con sus amigos. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future

Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, mantendré la promesa hecha. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional

Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Mantendría la calma en la reunión si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For mantener, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he mantenido la casa en buen estado. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For mantener, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había mantenido el contacto con sus amigos antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For mantener, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré mantenido la promesa hecha. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For mantener, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría mantenido la calma en la reunión con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él mantenga la casa en buen estado. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él mantuviera el contacto con sus amigos, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Mantén la promesa hecha! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For mantener, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No mantengas la calma en la reunión. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with mantener, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Mantengo la calma en la reunión. — I maintain calm in the meeting.
  2. Mantiene la casa en buen estado. — He/she maintains the house in good condition.
  3. Ayer, mantuve el contacto con sus amigos. — Yesterday, I maintained in touch with his friends.
  4. Antes, nosotros manteníamos la promesa hecha. — Before, we used to maintain the promise he made.
  5. Mañana, tú mantendrás la calma en la reunión. — Tomorrow, you will maintain calm in the meeting.
  6. Yo mantendría la casa en buen estado si tuviera más tiempo. — I would maintain the house in good condition if I had more time.
  7. Él ha mantenido el contacto con sus amigos. — He has maintained in touch with his friends.
  8. Espero que él mantenga la promesa hecha. — I hope he maintains the promise he made.
  9. Yo ya había mantenido la calma en la reunión antes de salir. — I had already maintained calm in the meeting before leaving.
  10. Ellos mantenían la casa en buen estado cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to maintain the house in good condition when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo mantiene la calma en la reunión. — Right: Yo mantengo la calma en la reunión. — The person matters: mantiene is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is mantengo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo manteno la casa en buen estado. — Right: Yo mantengo la casa en buen estado. — Mantener is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so the stem changes in the present singular and third-person plural. The nosotros form keeps the original stem.
  3. Wrong: Treating mantener and conservar as identical in every context. — Right: Mantener means to maintain, to keep, while conservar means to keep, to preserve. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: mantener fits sentences such as Mantengo la calma en la reunión, while conservar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy mantenido la casa en buen estado. — Right: Yo he mantenido la casa en buen estado. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he mantenido, has mantenido, ha mantenido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo mantuve el contacto con sus amigos todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo mantenía el contacto con sus amigos todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (mantenía), not the preterite. The preterite (mantuve) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on mantener. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la calma en la reunión. (present tense) A. mantengo B. mantienes C. mantiene D. mantenemos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la casa en buen estado. (preterite) A. mantuve B. mantuviste C. mantuvieron D. mantuvo

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el contacto con sus amigos. (imperfect) A. mantenías B. mantenían C. manteníamos D. mantenía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la promesa hecha. (future) A. mantendremos B. mantendrás C. mantendré D. mantendrá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la calma en la reunión si pudiera. (conditional) A. mantendría B. mantendrías C. mantendrían D. mantengo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la casa en buen estado. (present subjunctive) A. mantengas B. mantengamos C. mantengo D. mantenga

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el contacto con sus amigos, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. mantuviéramos B. mantengo C. mantuviera D. mantuvieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la promesa hecha. (present perfect) A. han mantenido B. hemos mantenido C. he mantenido D. has mantenido

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la calma en la reunión! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. mantén B. mantenga C. mantengamos D. mantened

  10. Which is the gerund of mantener, used with estar for the progressive? A. mantenido B. mantengo C. mantuve D. manteniendo

Answer key

  1. mantengo — The first-person present of mantener is mantengo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. mantuvo — The third-person preterite of mantener is mantuvo, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. manteníamos — The nosotros imperfect of mantener is manteníamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. mantendrás — The second-person future of mantener is mantendrás.
  5. mantendría — The first-person conditional of mantener is mantendría, the form for what would happen.
  6. mantenga — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of mantener is mantenga.
  7. mantuviera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of mantener is mantuviera.
  8. hemos mantenido — The nosotros present perfect of mantener is hemos mantenido: hemos + mantenido.
  9. mantén — The affirmative tú imperative of mantener is mantén.
  10. manteniendo — The gerund of mantener is manteniendo: estoy manteniendo. The participle mantenido is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does mantener mean in English?

Mantener means to maintain, to keep. It is used in everyday situations such as Mantengo la calma en la reunión. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is mantener regular or irregular?

Mantener is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so it is not fully regular: the stem changes in the present, the present subjunctive and the imperative, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. The preterite and the imperfect are regular. Check the tables above for the exact forms in each tense.

What is the difference between mantener and conservar?

Mantener means to maintain, to keep, while conservar means to keep, to preserve. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use mantener when you mean to maintain, to keep, as in Mantengo la calma en la reunión, and use conservar for to keep, to preserve. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I maintain” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo mantuve la casa en buen estado. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo mantenía el contacto con sus amigos. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he mantenido la casa en buen estado.

How do I practise mantener?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the mantener examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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